Project Turnabout expansion in the works

Pending the approval of a special use permit request by Granite Falls City Council, it appears that Project Turnabout will be moving forward with an estimated $4 to $5 million expansion project.“The number of people who have reached out who we are not able to tend to be cause we do not have the room has grown consid...

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By Scott TedrickNews Editor

Granite Falls Advocate Tribune

By Scott TedrickNews Editor

Posted May. 23, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Updated May 23, 2013 at 12:00 PM

By Scott TedrickNews Editor

Posted May. 23, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Updated May 23, 2013 at 12:00 PM

Pending the approval of a special use permit request by Granite Falls City Council, it appears that Project Turnabout will be moving forward with an estimated $4 to $5 million expansion project.

"The number of people who have reached out who we are not able to tend to be cause we do not have the room has grown considerably in the last three years," said Project Turnabout Executive Director and CEO Mike Schiks. "The excitement for the staff is not the new building, it's being able to help more people."

Project Turnabout has a gained recognition throughout the state, and increasingly nationwide, for offering high quality addiction recovery services at a marginal price. As the word has gotten out, it has translated to an increasing number of requests to check in to the facility. Over the course of last year several hundred individuals had to be turned away.

According to Shiks, the secret to the organization's success is based on a philosophy that puts client needs above all else, which translates to low administrative costs and an unceasing organizational drive to ever improve. "What brought me to this place was that it is centered toward serving people," he said.

To help relieve the backlog, Project Turnabout is planning to construct an additional building as well as renovate portions of the existing facility, which will create approximately 21,750 sq. feet of new space.

The new building will be used as a 25 to 27 women's unit, while the old women's unit will be used to expand the number of available men's beds by 20. Other components of the project will see the renovation of current administrative area to allow for the expansion of the existing detox unit by six beds, the renovation of lecture space to accommodate dining space and additional beds as well as the construction of a patient, family and professional educational center that will have a capacity of 240.

In sum, the total of number of beds available will increase by 33, from 89 to 122. Broken down that's 20 additional men's beds, seven women's and six in the detox unit. The added beds also creates a need for new hires, and as a result of the project the number of Project Turnabout staff is expected to jump by 15 to 20 over the present tally of 112.

The permit request is scheduled to be addressed by the city planning and zoning commission at their June 12 meeting. If all goes to plan, it would then likely come before the Granite Falls City Council for approval June 17.

Schiks said that Project Turnabout will still need to set up design work, financing, bids and other items before the project is able to break ground, hopefully sometime this fall. Thereafter, the construction time is expected to take eighteen months.